| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
09/11/2015 - 09/14/2015 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | Agreement State | Event Number: 51365 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Region: 4
City: PASADENA State: CA
County:
License #: 0314-19
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: L. ROBERT GREGER
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA | Notification Date: 09/03/2015
Notification Time: 08:05 [ET]
Event Date: 09/02/2015
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/09/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
GREG WARNICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
CNSNS (MEXICO) (EMAI)
BARRY WRAY (EMAIL) (ILTA)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - TWO RADIOACTIVE ZIRCONIUM METAL CYLINDERS DISCOVERED AT METAL RECYLING CENTER
The following report was received from the California Department of Public Health Radiologic Health Branch via email:
"On November 11, 2014, an individual associated with the Orange County Science Education Center obtained two small metal cylinders that had caught his eye that were on a shelf at a metal recycling center (DBW Metals Recycling, Anaheim, CA). The metal recycler's analysis of a cylinder showed 96.76% Zirconium with 2% Nb and some Mo, Cr, Pd, Mn, BI, FE, Ni, & Cd.
"On August 14, 2015, the member of the public donated one of the Zirconium metal cylinders to the Geology Department at the California Institute of Technology. The location of the second Zirconium metal cylinder is unknown at this time. On August 21, 2015, the California Institute of Technology determined the zirconium metal cylinder was radioactive. The cylindrical metal item measured 3.3 cm D x 5 cm L and weighed 290 gm.
"The [State of California] Radiation Safety Office subsequently analyzed the item using a Germanium detector and determined it contained approximately 20 gm of U-238 and 8 gm of U-235 (28.6% enrichment). No fission products were detected, and only minor surface contamination was found (removable surface contamination <30 DPM over entire item. GM [Geiger Muller] meter survey results are as follows: 48,000 cpm on contact (mostly beta); 1 mrem/hr on contact; and 0.03 mR/hr at 1 foot (background of 0.02 mR/h). The Radiation Safety office believes the item is a portion of an unirradiated uranium fuel element.
"The Brea Office [State of California Radiation Health Branch] will follow-up under this 5010 to investigate the current location of the 2nd similar item and to ensure it is properly possessed, and will also investigate from whom the metal recycler received the two SNM [special nuclear material] items (what licensee apparently lost control of these SNM items).
"LA County also has a 5010 (090215) associated with this event to ensure that CalTech properly possesses the SNM and makes required reports."
California 5010 Number: 090315
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED VIA EMAIL FROM ROBERT GREGER TO JEFF ROTTON AT 1919 EDT ON 09/03/2015 * * *
The following information was provided by the State of California via email:
"After a discussion with the private party who received the SNM item from the local metal recycling facility, it appears that there is no second similar item. Rather the second item had significantly different visual characteristics. The individual indicated he no longer has the second item. [State of California] will attempt to verify the metal composition of the 2nd item with the metal recycling facility.
"The private party who received the SNM item from the recycling facility is associated with the Science Education Center of California, not the Orange County Science Education Center.
"The SNM item is not clad in zirconium or anything else, rather the SNM item is a mixture of zirconium and enriched uranium, with some other metals in significantly smaller amounts, and perhaps additional non-metals.
"The Caltech RSO indicated that he had not performed as good of an analysis as he would have liked to have done, and emphasized that the values he provided for the U-238 and U-235 weights were both approximate values, leaving the U-235 enrichment better represented as between 21-28 percent."
Notified the R4DO (Warnick), ILTAB (English) and NMSS Events Notification group via email.
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY ROBERT GREGER TO JEFF ROTTON AT 1544 EDT ON 09/09/2015 * * *
The following information was provided by the State of California via email:
"Personnel from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) were contacted to assist in evaluation of the apparent SNM item recovered from a metal recycler. The LANL personnel determined that the item did not contain SNM. Rather the item contained approximately 30-35 grams of unenriched processed uranium.
Notified the R4DO (Drake), ILTAB (English), CNSNS (Mexico) and NMSS Events Notification group via email.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51366 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: TEAM INDUSTRIAL SERVICE INC
Region: 4
City: HOUSTON State: TX
County:
License #: L-00087
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: GENTRY HEARN
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 09/03/2015
Notification Time: 15:29 [ET]
Event Date: 09/03/2015
Event Time: 08:20 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/03/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
GREG WARNICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
| Event Text TEXAS AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA SOURCE RETRACTION FAILURE
The following information was received from the State of Texas via email:
"On September 3, 2015, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] received a report from the licensee that a radiography source retraction failure occurred at a temporary field site in Borger, Texas. A mount fell on the guide tube, crimping the tube. The source was retrieved according to license conditions and the damaged equipment was removed from service. The camera was a SPEC-150 and the source was 78 curies of Iridium-192. No exposure to the public occurred. Further information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300."
Texas Incident #: I-9336 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51367 | Rep Org: NJ RAD PROT AND REL PREVENTION PGM
Licensee: HEART MEDICINE, LLC
Region: 1
City: EATONTOWN/TINTON FALLS State: NJ
County:
License #: NJ PI ID#: 4
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RICHARD PEROS
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 09/03/2015
Notification Time: 16:09 [ET]
Event Date: 09/03/2015
Event Time: 11:45 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/03/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
JOHNATHAN LILLIENDAH (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text NEW JERSEY AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS OF CS-137 DOSE CALIBRATOR VIAL SOURCE
The following information was provided by the State of New Jersey via email:
"At approximately 1145 [EDT] on Thursday, September 3, 2015, the licensee's Administrator/Radiation Safety Officer was contacted [by the State of New Jersey] to discuss several issues related to the re-location of their office. One of the issues raised was the location of several dose calibrator vial sources and gamma-camera flood sources that were last known to be in the possession of the licensee. The licensee had not provided confirmation that the sources had been moved during their office re-location or had been disposed of properly. The licensee stated that their consulting physicist was taking care of the sources. When informed that the consultant had been contacted and did not know the location of the sources, the licensee stated then they did not know where they were either. As such, the sources are considered lost.
"Of the sources unaccounted for, only the above listed Cs-137 vial source was of sufficient activity to warrant a report. The vial source in question is a North American Scientific, Inc., model MED 3550, serial # 28809, 205.6 microCi as calibrated on 10/1/02."
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51370 | Rep Org: NC DIV OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: NASCO PRODUCTS, INC.
Region: 1
City: MOCKSVILLE State: NC
County:
License #: 030-1338-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAVID CROWLEY
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 09/04/2015
Notification Time: 13:00 [ET]
Event Date: 08/31/2015
Event Time: 13:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/04/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
JOHNATHAN LILLIENDAH (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
| Event Text NORTH CAROLINA AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - NUCLEAR GAUGE WITH STUCK CLOSED SHUTTER
The following information was provided by the State on North Carolina via email:
"On 8/31/15, at approximately 1300 EDT, a NASCO worker operating the #4 Protos cigarette making machine noticed that the nuclear gauge seemed to be malfunctioning. The worker immediately reported this observation to the NASCO RSO. The RSO performed a shutter test and determined that the shutter would not open. [RSO] then turned #4 Protos off and established a no-entry cordoned area around the gauge, the radius of the restricted area was and still is about 20 feet. The RSO next contacted Little Creek Electronics, a North Carolina licensee, for assistance in repairing the shutter.
"The RSO of Little Creek contacted a health physicist inspector with the NC Radiation Protection Section, on 9/2/15 to ask whether they are authorized to perform this repair. This is how the Agency [North Carolina Radiation Protection Section] learned of this incident. [Little Creek] was not authorized and instructions were given not to perform work on the gauge; the Agency decided to investigate first thing in the morning on 9/3/2015 to get the details straight from NASCO.
"State inspector visited site on 9/3/15 to perform a health and safety assessment. State inspector determined that licensee had confirmed that shutter is closed and that the associated machinery had been deactivated. Furthermore, the licensee had established a cordoned, do-not-enter area of approximately twenty feet in radius around the affected gauge. The inspector's surveys were consistent with the surveys during the last regular inspection (8/6/15) of this license.
"NASCO arranged with Automated Control Technologies (ACT), a reciprocal license which handles manufacturing and repair of fixed nuclear gauges. [ACT] should be in to the facility before close of this week."
The licensee address and location of the event is 321 Farmington Road, Mocksville, NC 27028.
Nuclear gauge is a Accuray TG-5 fixed gauge, model number: S-18, serial number S-4086-H containing a Sr-90 25 milliCi source (assay date 04/2001), and last leak test on 4/23/15 was negative.
Report identification number: NMED NC150024 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51372 | Rep Org: TENNESSEE DIV OF RAD HEALTH
Licensee: CHOO CHOO CUSTOMS GROUP
Region: 1
City: HIXSON State: TN
County:
License #: GL# 890
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: SABRINA ROBERTSON
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 09/04/2015
Notification Time: 15:06 [ET]
Event Date: 09/03/2015
Event Time: 13:20 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/04/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
JOHNATHAN LILLIENDAH (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text TENNESSEE AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST STATIC ELIMINATOR
The following information was provided by the State of Tennessee via email:
"A General Licensed (GL) facility called Choo Choo Customs Group possessed a Po-210 static eliminator GL device with approximately 10 mCi of activity. [Choo Choo Customs Group] has been inactive or dissolved. The [State of Tennessee - Division of Radiological Health] has been trying for a number of years to get them to reply. The [Division] has had our field office staff go by the last known and suspected addresses this year (2015) to run them down but to no avail. The collections company for the [Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation - Division of Fiscal Services] has also had no success. This would be a lost source that the [Division] would report but were hoping to get some resolution or locate the individuals who had owned the company. The [Division] has now exhausted all our leads and are proceeding with reporting it as a lost source/device."
Manufacturer: AEA Technology/USA Inc. Static Eliminator
Model: PDV1420 (PDM.1002Hn series)
Serial#: 8139KB
Isotope: Po-210 (10 mCi)
Shipped date: 6/25/1999
State Event Report ID NO.: TN-15-132
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51373 | Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: PREMIER NDT
Region: 4
City: GRAND JUNCTION State: CO
County:
License #: CO 1162-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHERI HALL
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 09/04/2015
Notification Time: 22:46 [ET]
Event Date: 09/04/2015
Event Time: [MDT]
Last Update Date: 09/04/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
GREG WARNICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
| Event Text COLORADO AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - BROKEN DRIVE CABLE ON RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA
The following information was provided by the State of Colorado via email:
"A radiography source stuck outside the shielded position on Friday, September 4, 2015 [at a temporary job site near Rangely, CO]. The source did not return to the shielded position after an exposure and was quickly discovered by the radiographer. Neither the radiographer nor assistant approached the source. [Both individuals] set up a 2 mR/hr boundary and ensured no person entered the area; then called the RSO for support at approximately 1400 MDT. The RSO arrived on scene and notified the State around 1700 MDT. The licensee is authorized for retrieval and verbally verified all necessary emergency equipment was available and there were no elevated exposures suspected at the time. The licensee began retrieval and contacted the State at 2000 MDT to verify the source was successfully returned to the shielded position. A full report on the cause and recovery efforts to follow.
"Cause and corrective action: broken drive cable, corrected by replacing drive cable and returning [source] to the shielded position.
"Camera/device information: QSA Global Delta 880; SN D8543
Source information: QSA Global A424-9; SN 20273G; current activity 97.7 Ci
assayed 8/26/2015 - 106.3 Ci - leak tested by manufacturer at that time
"Doses from pocket dosimeters: RSO - 110 mRem; Radiographer - 21 mRem; assistant - 4 mRem (this was the total from previous exposures during the day, he did not assist with retrieval but was tasked with maintaining surveillance of the boundaries)"
Incident identification: CO15-I15-24 |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 51391 | Facility: FERMI
Region: 3 State: MI
Unit: [2] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: CHRIS ROBINSON
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA | Notification Date: 09/14/2015
Notification Time: 02:46 [ET]
Event Date: 09/13/2015
Event Time: 23:05 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/14/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
50.72(b)(3)(v)(C) - POT UNCNTRL RAD REL
| Person (Organization):
PATTY PELKE (R3DO)
SCOTT MORRIS (NRR)
JEFFERY GRANT (IRD)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | M/R | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text MANUAL SCRAM DUE TO LOSS OF TURBINE BUILDING CLOSED COOLING WATER
"At 2305 EDT on September 13, 2015, a manual scram was initiated in response to a loss of all Turbine Building Closed Cooling Water (TBCCW). All control rods fully inserted. The lowest Reactor Water Level (RWL) reached was 137 inches. All isolations and actuations for RWL 3 occurred as expected. Decay heat was initially being removed through the Main Turbine Bypass System to the Main Condenser, however, as a result of the loss of TBCCW, the Main Feed Pumps lost cooling and had to be secured. At 2310, Standby Feedwater was initiated and Main Feedwater was secured.
"The loss of TBCCW also caused all Station Air Compressors (SACs) to trip on loss of cooling. The loss of SACs caused the Instrument Air header pressure to degrade to the point at which the Secondary Containment isolation dampers drifted closed. This resulted in the Reactor Building vacuum exceeding the Technical Specification limit. At 2325, operators started the Standby Gas Treatment system and manually initiated a Secondary Containment isolation signal. Secondary Containment vacuum was promptly restored to within Technical Specification limits. Additionally, Operators were monitoring for expected MSIV drift due to the degraded Instrument Air header pressure. When outboard MSIVs were observed to be drifting, Operators closed the outboard and inboard MSIVs at 2345. At 2352, Safety Relief Valves (SRVs) reached the Low-Low Setpoint and began cycling to control reactor pressure.
"RWL is currently being maintained in the normal level band with the Standby Feedwater and Control Rod Drive systems. Reactor Pressure is being controlled with Safety Relief Valves. Operators are currently in the Emergency Operating Procedure for Reactor Pressure Vessel control. Investigation into the loss of TBCCW continues.
"No safety-related equipment was out of service at the time of the event. All offsite power sources were adequate and available throughout the duration of the event.
"The NRC resident inspector has been notified." | |